Abstract: A metrology apparatus (302) includes a higher harmonic generation (HHG) radiation source for generating (310) EUV radiation. Operation of the HHG source is monitored using a wavefront sensor (420) which comprises an aperture array (424, 702) and an image sensor (426). A grating (706) disperses the radiation passing through each aperture so that the image detector captures positions and intensities of higher diffraction orders for different spectral components and different locations across the beam. In this way, the wavefront sensor can be arranged to measure a wavefront tilt for multiple harmonics at each location in said array. In one embodiment, the apertures are divided into two subsets (A) and (B), the gratings (706) of each subset having a different direction of dispersion. The spectrally resolved wavefront information (430) is used in feedback control (432) to stabilize operation of the HGG source, and/or to improve accuracy of metrology results.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing or adjusting a reticle having a predetermined functionality, the method including obtaining a reticle having a first pattern, the first pattern representing a first functionality of structures provided to a substrate using the reticle, and patterning the reticle having the first pattern with a second pattern using a pattern generating tool, the combined first and second patterns having the predetermined functionality.

Abstract: There is disclosed a substrate holder, a method of manufacturing a substrate holder, a lithographic apparatus comprising the substrate holder, and a method of manufacturing devices using the lithographic apparatus. In one arrangement, there is provided a substrate holder for use in a lithographic apparatus. The substrate holder supports a substrate. The substrate holder comprises a main body. The main body has a main body surface. A plurality of burls are provided projecting from the main body surface. Each burl has a burl side surface and a distal end surface. The distal end surface of each burl engages with the substrate. The distal end surfaces of the burls substantially conform to a support plane and support the substrate. A layer of carbon based material is provided in a plurality of separated regions of carbon based material.

Abstract: A diffraction measurement target that has at least a first sub-target and at least a second sub-target, and wherein (1) the first and second sub-targets each include a pair of periodic structures and the first sub-target has a different design than the second sub-target, the different design including the first sub-target periodic structures having a different pitch, feature width, space width, and/or segmentation than the second sub-target periodic structure or (2) the first and second sub-targets respectively include a first and second periodic structure in a first layer, and a third periodic structure is located at least partly underneath the first periodic structure in a second layer under the first layer and there being no periodic structure underneath the second periodic structure in the second layer, and a fourth periodic structure is located at least partly underneath the second periodic structure in a third layer under the second layer.

Abstract: A method including: determining first error information based on a first measurement and/or simulation result pertaining to a first patterning device in a patterning system; determining second error information based on a second measurement and/or simulation result pertaining to a second patterning device in the patterning system; determining a difference between the first error information and the second error information; and creating modification information for the first patterning device and/or the second patterning device based on the difference between the first error information and the second error information, wherein the difference between the first error information and the second error information is reduced to within a certain range after the first patterning device and/or the second patterning device is modified according to the modification information.

Abstract: A lithographic projection apparatus is disclosed in which a space between the projection system and the substrate is filled with a liquid. An edge seal member at least partly surrounds the substrate or other object on a substrate table to prevent liquid loss when edge portions of the substrate or other object are, for example, imaged or illuminated. A lithographic projection apparatus includes a support structure configured to hold a patterning device, the patterning device configured to pattern a beam of radiation according to a desired pattern; a substrate table configured to hold a substrate; a projection system configured to project the patterned beam onto a target portion of the substrate; a liquid supply system configured to provide liquid to a space between the projection system and the substrate; and a shutter configured to isolate the space from the substrate or a space to be occupied by a substrate.

Abstract: Designs are provided to reduce the possibility of contaminant particles with a large range of sizes, materials, travel speeds and angles of incidence reaching a particle-sensitive environment. According to an aspect of the disclosure, there is provided an object stage comprising first and second chambers, a first structure having a first surface, and a second structure. The second structure is configured to support an object in the second chamber, movable relative to the first structure. The second structure comprises a second surface opposing the first surface of the first structure thereby defining a gap between the first structure and the second structure that extends between the first chamber and the second chamber. The second structure further comprises a third surface within the first chamber. The object stage further comprises a trap disposed on at least a portion of the third surface, the trap comprising a plurality of baffles.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to provide a plurality of radiation beams modulated according to at least two sub patterns of a pattern using radiation sources, the radiation sources producing radiation beams of at least two spot sizes such that each of the radiation beams having a same spot size of the at least two spot sizes is used to produce one of the at least two sub patterns, project the plurality of beams onto a substrate, and provide relative motion between the substrate and the plurality of radiation sources, in a scanning direction to expose the substrate. A method and apparatus to provide radiation modulated according to a desired pattern using a plurality of rows of two-dimensional arrays of radiation sources, project the modulated radiation onto a substrate using a projection system, and remove fluid from between the projection system and the substrate using one or more fluid removal units.

Abstract: An immersion liquid is provided comprising an ion-forming component, e.g. an acid or a base, which has a relatively high vapor pressure. Also provided are lithography processes and lithography systems using the immersion liquid.

Abstract: An alignment system aligns a laser beam to a desired position in a reference plane and to a desired direction in the reference plane. The system diffracts the laser light into different diffraction orders that are projected onto a detection plane using different lenses. As the locations of the projections of the different diffraction orders in the detection plane respond differently to changes in position and in direction of the beam in the reference plane, the locations of the projections enable to determine how to adjust the beam so as to get the beam properly aligned. The diffraction and the projection can be implemented by a hologram.

Abstract: An imprint lithography apparatus is disclosed that includes an imprint template holder arranged to hold an imprint template, and a plurality of position sensors configured to measure change of the size and/or shape of the imprint template, wherein the position sensors are mechanically isolated from the imprint template. Also disclosed is a lithography method that includes using an imprint template to imprint a pattern onto a substrate, and measuring changes of the size and/or shape of the imprint template while imprinting the pattern onto the substrate.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a membrane assembly for EUV lithography, the method including: providing a stack having a planar substrate and at least one membrane layer, wherein the planar substrate includes an inner region and a border region around the inner region; and selectively removing the inner region of the planar substrate. The membrane assembly includes: a membrane formed from the at least one membrane layer; and a border holding the membrane, the border formed from the border region of the planar substrate. The stack is provided with a mechanical protection material configured to mechanically protect the border region during the selectively removing the inner region of the planar substrate.

Abstract: A method including determining a first color pattern and a second color pattern associated with a hot spot of a design layout pattern, the design layout pattern configured for transfer to a substrate, and predicting, by a hardware computer system, whether there would be a defect at the hot spot on the substrate caused by overlay error, based at least in part on a measurement of an overlay error between the first color pattern and the second color pattern.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a membrane assembly for EUV lithography, the method comprising: providing a stack comprising a planar substrate and at least one membrane layer, wherein the planar substrate comprises an inner region and a border region around the inner region; positioning the stack on a support such that the inner region of the planar substrate is exposed; and selectively removing the inner region of the planar substrate using a non-liquid etchant, such that the membrane assembly comprises: a membrane formed from the at least one membrane layer; and a border holding the membrane, the border formed from the border region of the planar substrate.

Abstract: An electronic device comprising a semiconductor chip which comprises a plurality of structures formed in the semiconductor chip, wherein the semiconductor chip is a member of a set of semiconductor chips, the set of semiconductor chips comprises a plurality of subsets of semiconductor chips, and the semiconductor chip is a member of only one of the subsets. The plurality of structures of the semiconductor chip includes a set of common structures which is the same for all of the semiconductor chips of the set, and a set of non-common structures, wherein the non-common structures of the semiconductor chip of the subset is different from a non-common circuit of the semiconductor chips in every other subset. At least a first portion of the non-common structures and a first portion of the common structures form a first non-common circuit, wherein the first non-common circuit of the semiconductor chips of each subset is different from a non-common circuit of the semiconductor chips in every other subset.

Abstract: An optical system and detector capture a distribution of radiation modified by interaction with a target structure. The observed distribution is used to calculate a property of the structure (e.g. CD or overlay). A condition error (e.g. focus error) associated with the optical system is variable between observations. The actual condition error specific to each capture is recorded and used to apply a correction for a deviation of the observed distribution due to the condition error specific to the observation. The correction in one practical example is based on a unit correction previously defined with respect to a unit focus error. This unit correction can be scaled linearly, in accordance with a focus error specific to the observation.

Abstract: A method to improve a lithographic process for imaging a portion of a design layout onto a substrate using a lithographic projection apparatus and for transferring the imaged portion of the design layout to the substrate by an etching process, which method includes: determining a value of at least one evaluation point of the lithographic process for each of a plurality of variations of the etching process; computing a multi-variable cost function of a plurality of design variables that are characteristics of the lithographic process, wherein the multi-variable cost function is a function of deviation from the determined values of the at least one evaluation point; and reconfiguring the characteristics of the lithographic process by adjusting the design variables until a termination condition is satisfied. This method may reduce the need of repeated adjustment to the lithographic process when the etching process varies.

Abstract: A method including evaluating a plurality of substrate measurement recipes for measurement of a metrology target processed using a patterning process, against stack sensitivity and overlay sensitivity, and selecting one or more substrate measurement recipes from the plurality of substrate measurement recipes that have a value of the stack sensitivity that meets or crosses a threshold and that have a value of the overlay sensitivity within a certain finite range from a maximum or minimum value of the overlay sensitivity.

Abstract: A device manufacturing method is disclosed. A radiated spot is directed onto a target pattern formed on a substrate. The radiated spot is moved along the target pattern in a series of discrete steps, each discrete step corresponding to respective positions of the radiated spot on the target pattern, Measurement signals are generated that correspond to respective ones of the positions of the radiated spot on the target pattern. A single value is determined that is based on the measurement signals and that is representative of the property of the substrate.

Abstract: Methods and associated apparatus for reconstructing a free-form geometry of a substrate, the method including: positioning the substrate on a substrate holder configured to retain the substrate under a retaining force that deforms the substrate from its free-form geometry; measuring a height map of the deformed substrate; and reconstructing the free-form geometry of the deformed substrate based on an expected deformation of the substrate by the retaining force and the measured height map.